Including old man Scott Riggs in the mix only ratchets up the average age of this year's Nextel Cup rookie six-pack to 26, slightly older than when Kevin Harvick led the way in 2001 but four years younger than last year's group.

Rookie Brian Vickers, 20, chatting with veteran Dale Jarrett, won the Busch Series title last year.

By Tim Dillon, USA TODAY

What's notable is the variance that starts at the high end with Riggs, 33, and bottoms off with Brian Vickers, 20, who bypassed his senior prom two years ago to compete in a Busch Series race at Bristol. All he did was win the Busch title last year and become NASCAR's youngest champion at any level, proving he made the right call.

In between are 23-year-old Kasey Kahne, who ascends into Bill Elliott's former ride; 25-year-old Johnny Sauter, who finished eighth in Busch points driving for two teams; and 28-year-olds Scott Wimmer and Brendan Gaughan.

Gaughan joins a Penske Racing team of former rookies of the year Rusty Wallace (1984) and Ryan Newman (2002).

To again see so many 20-somethings earn full-time Cup rides demonstrates owners' willingness to invest in youth, with the age skewing downward little by little. Time will tell if the sport welcomes teenage prodigies a la LeBron James and Michelle Wie, but Vickers' quick rise suggests it's possible.

"I came in when I was 17, but waiting until 18 (NASCAR's minimum age) wouldn't have hurt me," said Vickers, who will drive the No. 25 Chevy for Hendrick Motorsports. "It was just going to be a matter of time before someone 16 or maybe 15 was going to come in, so maybe it's good they did that. But I think you're going to see younger guys coming in."

Kahne's hiring by team owner Ray Evernham was a surprise only because it followed Elliott's decision to scale back his racing schedule. But Evernham has a history of tapping younger drivers, perhaps because he won three Cup titles as Jeff Gordon's crew chief in the 1990s.

His roller-coaster experience in 2001-02 with Casey Atwood, who was 21 at the time, shows it doesn't always work. But he likes the veteran-rookie combination for the nurturing the former provides, which eases the transition when the torch is passed. In Kahne he got a former USAC Midget champion (2000) and quick study at the Busch level, sparking a buzz that accelerated after he won last year's finale at Homestead.

"I'm not going to say he's got to be a Ryan Newman or Tony Stewart or any of those guys, but I've got a good feeling about this kid," Evernham said. "He's really committed. He's doing all the things I've always wanted drivers to do. ... When you've got that much commitment, I believe it's going to be fun."

Having fun is no problem for the loquacious Gaughan, who played basketball with Allen Iverson and football at Georgetown before pursuing his racing career and reaching the Craftsman Truck Series in 2002 with his father's team.

Gaughan finished 11th in points to win rookie of the year honors and was primed to clinch last year's championship before a crash at Homestead with 33 laps to go left him fourth in points. The loss of a primary sponsor put his future on hold until newly formed Penske-Jasper Racing called last month with a ride in the No. 77 Dodge and under the tutelage of two guys who have been there.

Anyone wondering if Gaughan is up to task should note his age, racing experience and the fact that he played for Hall of Fame coach John Thompson, who's been known to ask a lot of his players.

Asked if his career is progressing at the right pace, Gaughan said, "I've never stuck to a timetable about when I would move up. I'm 28 and extremely happy with where I am."

Ditto for Riggs, who readily admits he wasn't ready for the Cup Series in his mid-20s. Just last summer he expressed his commitment to the Busch Series despite the loss of his primary sponsor, saying he wouldn't take any offer just to race at NASCAR's highest level.

He made the jump when MB2 Motorsports offered a ride in the No. 10 car formerly driven by Johnny Benson. Perhaps because of his age and success at the Busch level, Riggs doesn't consider himself a rookie in the true sense. Nor does he believe this might have been his last chance to move up.

"With the sponsor troubles we had and not getting the opportunity to stay (with ppc Motorsports), it was my destiny to move on," said Riggs, who won twice last season and finished sixth in points. "I don't feel like a rookie. What makes me feel good is coming over here and having people recognize what you have done. It makes you feel good about your accomplishments."

Sauter earned his shot in the No. 30 Chevy after helping Richard Childress win the Busch Series owners title in a shared ride and winning at Richmond last fall in addition to making 17 starts for Curb/Agajanian Motorsports.

Wimmer, who faces a May 10 hearing after being arrested last week on drunken-driving charges, succeeds Ward Burton in the No. 22 Dodge. He was ninth in Busch points last season.

Though this signals another chapter in NASCAR's youth movement, these drivers know they will be judged by the results instead of their age. Whether that includes victory is less important than making forward progress and giving the next generation a little more hope.